How do you return kick or American servces?

I am thinking it's important to keep shuffling your feet until you make contact with the ball. I keep planting my foot and get caught with the ball spinning from right to left if the server is right handed.

With practice, you will find a need for an aligned stance, neutral to closed, so you body can move forwards thru the shot. Adjustment sideways is about experience with that particular kick out to the side, bent arm technique, and watching the ball.
If the ball bounces well over your head, consider moving forwards, or switching to a pure volley motion to return the serve. Volley hard and down!
You an stand well back, but that allows the action of the twist to take you out of court position, so you would need to hit a return like Rafa to stay in the point.

For an average speed twist serve I actually just stand back and let it drop. As someone said you should be taking a good crack at the ball if you do this because your court position won't be the best.

However, for bigger twist serves, I feel you have to take it early. I basically just use volley- like technique like Lee mentioned with a very short backswing. I find it hard to consistently hit an aggressive return off that serve, I'll often miss-time the ball

A lot depends on your return style though . Not everybody likes slicing/chipping their returns

Thanks, I did try to take it on the rise and got hit in the face...do you think using a shorter/lighter racket helps?

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Don't get all cut up about it. :twisted: Seriously, I don't think the racket will make much difference. I recommend that you take the ball on the drop for now, until you get more used to the spin. The worst thing that can happen is that you find yourself a few feet behind the baseline, which is better than missing the return. I don't think any kick serve you'll see is going to penetrate the court to where you have to take it on the rise if you don't want to run into the back fence, so staying back and letting the ball spin out before you hit it is your best bet.

For an average speed twist serve I actually just stand back and let it drop. As someone said you should be taking a good crack at the ball if you do this because your court position won't be the best.

However, for bigger twist serves, I feel you have to take it early. I basically just use volley- like technique like Lee mentioned with a very short backswing. I find it hard to consistently hit an aggressive return off that serve, I'll often miss-time the ball

A lot depends on your return style though . Not everybody likes slicing/chipping their returns

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Dont do that.

I believe you should play tennis as you mean to continue (IN PRACTICE) and play shots that give you the maximum return in tennis improvement and ability.

If you get a short ball in practice that you think you should slice a forehand on and come in as it is a good shot for you dont. Hit a topspin or flat forehand and approach as this is practicing the most favourable shot in this situation.

In a match tiebreak ok you can do whatever slice or chip but in (PRACTICE) always play the game that in the best way you can or the most perfect way you can. If you are chipping second serve returns at 4.5 level you deserve to stay there and never better yourself as a player. Hit the return with a groundstroke bh or fh, you can chip when you are getting owned by 6.0 players serves someday.

Chipping returns is weak. Why not improve your groundstroke return at every opportunity you can, chipping returns is not as effective a shot.

If I had a tennis racquet in my house would it be wise to play with a squash racquet?

And it's a matter of predictability really. Almost EVERYONE that I've played serve to my backhand after realizing I have a 1hander during warmups.

I'm chilling nearby the alleys already and they still kick it there. You do it enough, then I'll just step in and take the kick away. It's when I'm not expecting it and the ball gets away from me, that's when you have trouble regardless of 1hand/2handed backhand.

Alright, my head's exploding here! IMO:
2 hands are better than 1 for service returns
1 handers can still return kick serves though not as well
Pros chip returns quite often, especially if they have 1 handers; there is nothing wrong with this play

O..k...? Then tell me why John Isner doesn't have an overwhelming favorable records against 1handers then?

The only winning record he has (that I can think of) is 2-1 over Wawrinka, everyone else is either even or has a losing record.

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First serve return points won 2013
Second serve return points won 2013

10 one handers in top 30.

6 one handers in top 30 of first serve return points won

7 one handers in top 30 second serve return points won.

Dont kid yourself, one hand on a racquet to control a ball coming at a pace of 120mph or 96mph with kick high on your backhand. You think using one hand above shoulder height to control the force of the incoming ball and send it back is easier or just as effective as using two hands.

First serve return points won 2013
Second serve return points won 2013

10 one handers in top 30.

6 one handers in top 30 of first serve return points won

7 one handers in top 30 second serve return points won.

Dont kid yourself, one hand on a racquet to control a ball coming at a pace of 120mph or 96mph with kick high on your backhand. You think using one hand above shoulder height to control the force of the incoming ball and send it back is easier or just as effective as using two hands.

Just admit you are wrong and apologise for your poor judgement.

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Yeah cause that's what happened to Agassi when he lost to Rafter two years straight in Wimbledon, whereas Sampras took him out?

I'm not kidding myself, what's there to apologize for? Go ahead, kick it repeatedly to my backhand and see what happens.

Guys, guys, cool it! Murray is right in that a two handed backhand is superior for return of serve. Say is right in that the chip return is legit, and a one handed backhand can return a kick serve.

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I'm just saying, don't attack my stroke, and I won't attack yours. Since people like to isolate strokes and use them as the sole determinant of the outcome of a match, and not the player themselves, I figured I should try it too?

Ughh not gonna bother anymore, you will not see sense, somebody else tell the old guy two hander is an easier shot to return with.

I feel sad for you, I would be a miserable old depressed angry man if I had to play with a one handed backhand with my potential limited.

What is it you play again 3.5 or something? Well done you

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Go watch my video and let's see who agrees with you. At the very least, I play.

And I'm 28, you got anymore dumb assumptions? You know what they say, can't spell assumption without the first three letters.

I'll be like you now. I feel sorry for you, for being sad but young (yes? no? I certainly hope you're young, because if you're older and just as ignorant, then I truly feel sorry for you) and ignorant(that I'm sure of, high five?) since you are limited by your two handed backhand (which is not true for other people, I've seen more great two handers than I have one handers, but I'm sure yours is useless). Let me guess, you hang out 10feet behind the baseline and have net-cinitis? Oh and hit the gym man, maybe that's why you hate the one hander because you don't have the strength for it?

Now, to all my fellow two handers out there, ignore the above content. It's only for the ignorant idiot.